Indian Tax Collection – Too High or Too Low

Welcome Address: Shri Suresh K. Goel, former Director General, Indian Council for Cultural Relations
Opening Remarks: Dr. Anand P. Gupta, former Professor of Economics, IIM, Ahmedabad

Keynote Address: Shri Surjit Bhalla, former Executive Director, International Monetary Fund

(Collaboration: I.C. Centre for Governance)

India’s Foreign Policy in Changing Times

By D.K. Giri (Global Books Organisation: 2018)
 

Discussants: Prof. Mahendra P. Lama, former Vice Chancellor, Sikkim University; Prof. Ajay Darshan Behera, Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia University; and Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Giri, columnist and author of the book

Chair: Amb. K.P. Fabian, Professor, Symbiosis University and Indian Society of International Law

Traditional toys and dolls are dying a slow death in India despite a recent push from the Government. Continuing for thousands of years, toys and festive fairs are now vanishing from urban culture and public spaces. The art of toy making is not restricted to specific parts of India as commonly believed - rather it is extraordinarily vast - as is the diversity of the raw materials. 

This exhibition showcases more than 50 toys and dolls from different States and UTs of India made of wood, papier-mâché, metal, tin, stone carving, leather, candle, clothes, seashells etc.

From the Agnibarna-Madhumadhabi Bhaduri collection 
Curated by Asani Bhaduri

Inauguration by Shri Jatin Das, well-known artist on 5 December 2023 at 18:30

New Broadcast Bill: Regulations or Control?

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has come out with the draft Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill 2023, which is open for public consultation until Dec 9, 2023. The bill seeks to bring all broadcasting entities, including radio, television, OTT streaming platforms and digital news portals under its ambit. The Media Dialogue will focus on the ways in which the regulatory features of the bill may impact broadcast media, including digital news portals, and whether or not this will restrict their freedom of expression, their ease of operation, and so on.

Panelists: Barkha Dutt, Editor, Mojo Story; Jawhar Sircar, MP and former CEO Prasar Bharati; Seema Chishti, Editor, The Wire; and Abhishek Malhotra, Partner, TMT Law Practice; and Nikhil Pahwa, Founder, MediaNama

Moderator: Vibodh Parthasarathi, who teaches media policy and communication at Jamia Millia Islamia University

(Collaboration: The Media Foundation)
 

Speaker: Dr. Srinivas M., Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
Chair: Shri K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Moderator: Dr. Ashwani Kumar
 

75 Kavitayein 
Collection of poems by Anamika (Nayee Kitab Prakashan: 2023)

Discussants: Dr. Lakshmi Kannan, poet, novelist and bilingual writer; Prof. Malashri Lal, author and Convenor, English Board, Sahitya Akademi; Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar, former Director of Interpretation, Lok Sabha and former Lecturer, Lady Shri Ram College for Women; Prof. Rekha Sethi, author, Editor and translator of the book; and Prof. Anamika, well-known poet, novelist and author of the collection of poems

Other Kohinoors, The Rocks of Hyderabad (India)

(49 min; 2022; English)

Director: Uma Magal who will introduce the film

Screening will be followed by a discussion

A resonant documentary love letter to the unique rocky terrain and culture of Hyderabad. Celebrating how the landscape inspires the culture in its art, craft, folklore, poetry, songs, architecture, cuisine. Marking the affection and respect with which the landscape is held. With an energetic rap song as 'Sutradhar narrator' carrying the storytelling there is also a sharing of the sorrow over what has been lost in the past decades. Beautiful animations styled in local art and craft traditions enrichen it. This could be called a 'Rasa' documentary showcasing as it does the different moods/rasas in the city's relationship with its distinct terrain, in the manner of an Indian masala or 'Navarasa' film.

Edited by Gopalkrishna Gandhi (Aleph: 2023)

Release of the book followed by a discussion

The book will be released by Shri N.N. Vohra

Reading of selected excerpts from the book

By Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Followed by a discussion with

Prof. Tridip Suhrud, writer, political scientist, cultural historian and translator; Prof. Rudrangshu Mukherjee, historian and author of several books on history, Founding Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University where he is presently the Chancellor and Professor of History; and Smt Aruna Roy, social activist, professor, union organiser and former civil servant; President, National Federation of Indian Women and founder, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

Guilt Trip and Other Stories

By Lakshmi Kannan (Olive Turtle: 2023)

Discussants: Prof. Malashri Lal, author and Convenor, English Board, Sahitya Akademi; Prof. Anisur Rahman, academic critic and translator; Prof. Payal Nagpal, academic; and Dr. Lakshmi Kannan, poet, novelist and author of the book

Chair: Ms Mridula Garg, writer and poet